Resource guarding is a common behaviour amongst dogs—and in many cases, we can absolutely change how they feel (and therefore how they behave) when people come near their food, chews, toys, or other valued stuff. In this video I jump straight into a step-by-step, force-free protocol I like to use, inspired by the brilliant Pat Miller. The whole goal is simple: create a strong positive association with your approach, and do it in a way that keeps everyone safe and sets the dog up to succeed. I show you how to set up the session (high-value treats, a chew/food/puzzle, and ideally an enclosed space like a play pen or a tether), then how to work at a distance that keeps your dog relaxed. You’ll hear exactly what I’m watching for—things like stiffness, growling, or lunging (which tells you you’re too close), versus that “happy anticipation” look when your dog starts thinking, “Oh nice, the human is coming… treats!” From there, we gradually decrease distance, add brief pauses, hand-feed, start dropping treats into the bowl, and eventually work toward touching the bowl—always ready to go back a step if tension shows up. I also touch on the trade method and generalising the protocol to other people (adults first, then trusted visitors). If you want more learning-science-based behaviour change, I link my behaviour modification principles course and additional resources in the description.